Current dock hinges, for this application or similar applications, are simple devices with limited functionality and little concern for safety or aesthetics. Generally, the current hinge design consist of two flat plates with hinge portions (i.e., leaves) protruding outwards that are mounted opposite one another with the hinge portions being axially aligned and connected with a pin inserted through the hinge portions whereby the hinge portions are constrained in an axially rotating plane. The hinge is attached along the longitudinal gap between the fixed and movable dock sections. A fixed dock section is generally permanently attached to either a shoreline or a piling that has been set into the ground below the water. A floating dock hinge may attach between this permanent base and a free-floating dock section with a hinge that allows for the motion of water to cause up and down movement of the floating section independent of the fixed portion. The floating section may consist of docking sections, walkways, or other floating devices used in the docking industry. The hinges of the prior art function in the basic hinge sense but offer a limited amount of rotation from the lower binding point to the upper binding point of the assembly. They can also leave a large open gap between the two sections of dock that can both act as a trip hazard and a pinch point where serious injury could occur.
The following is a listing of United States patents that disclose various hinge methodologies. The citation thereof is not an acknowledgement that any are prior art to the present invention, nor a statement that an exhaustive search has been completed.